Slide fasteners



April 5, 1955 I. PRUPIS El AL SLIDE FASTENERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1950 2 O a s INVENTORS ROBERT I. PRUPE: ANO SAMUEL LEES April 5, 1955 R. I. PRUPIS ET AL SLIDE FASTENERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 15, 1950 FEM- INVENTORS ROBERT SAMUEL PRUP\$ AND Leas BY 16 flwtweyhm ATTceNeYs United States Patent SLIDE FASTENERS Robert I. Prupis, West Orange, and Samuel Lees, Newark, N. J., assignors to Conmar Products Corporation, Newark, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 15, 1950, Serial No. 195,802 Claims. (Cl. 1-3) This invention relates to an assembling machine, and more particularly to an assembling machine for use in the manufacture of garments having opening closures provided with slide fasteners.

In the manufacture of trousers having a slide fastener at the fly opening, slide fastener stringers are sewn to inner and outer fly strips which are then sewn to the respective trouser halves. The slider for the fastener is inserted in a slider jig or clamp to properly hold the slider in order to permit the ends of the two separate stringers to be passed through the slider. The stringers are pulled-up, as it is commonly described, to thereby add the slider to the stringers and to engage or mesh the fastener elements thereof. The trousers are then placed in a separate stapling machine where a staple is secured to the lower end of the two stringers in order to permanently connect them together to prevent separation beneath the slider, and at the same time to provide a bottom stop which prevents escape of the slider from the fastener.

In accordance with present commercial practice, the necessary stapling machines and slider jigs are not sold to the user, but rather are given without charge to the trouser manufacturer by the slide fastener manufacturer as a good-will gesture. Because a large number of such machines must be made and distributed to customers at a total loss, it is desirable to keep the cost of making the stapling machines and slider clamps to a minimum.

One type of stapling machine presently in commercial use is disclosed in the patent application of Paul F. Epple and Robert I. Prupis, Serial Number 27,306, filed May 15, 1948, having the same assignee as the present invention. While this stapling machine has proved to be highly satisfactory for trouser manufacturers who produce a comparatively large quantity of trousers, and commensurately use a large quantity of slide fasteners, there are other trouser manufacturers whose production is comparatively small, but who, nevertheless, require a stapling machine and a slider jig for their operations. For these small producers, a stapling machine such as disclosed in the aforesaid Prupis and Epple application is too expensive, and when the cost of the requisite slider jig is added, the investment of the slide fastener manufacturer is disproportionately large for the slide fastener business which may be reasonably anticipated.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple, effective and inexpensive stapling machine which is primarily intended for use in the manufacture of trousers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive slider clamp means, and towards the accomplishment of this purpose, the stapling machine itself is provided with means which functions to hold a slider, thereby eliminating the cost of an additional and separate jig. Moreover, a single operating means serves to control both the stapler and the clamp.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, our invention resides in the slider holding and stapling machine elements, and their relation to one another as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by drawings in which:

Fig. l is a partial plan view of two slide fastener stringers prior to attaching a slider thereto;

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the two stringers with any well-known variety,

the slider attached or pulled-up to engage the fastener elements;

Fig. 3 is a partial plan view similar to Fig. 2 showing a staple permanently connecting together the ends of the stringers, the staple serving as a bottom stop to prevent the removal of the slider;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a staple in the inverted position in which it is applied;

Fig. 5 is a similar view but indicating the general configuration of the staple after it has been attached and clinched to the fastener stringers;

Fig. 6 is a broken side elevation of a stapling machine made in accordance with the preesnt invention, and including clamp means serving to hold a slider to permit adding the slider to a pair of stringers;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken approximately in the plane of the line 77 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a partially sectional side view of a part of the machine, showing the relationship of the machine elements preliminary to the function of the machine as a slider clamp;

Fig. 9 is a partial side view, partly in section, showing the parts of the machine when a slider is clamped preparatory to pulling-up a pair of stringers through the slider;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the portion of the machine shown in Fig. 9, but showing a pair of stringers being inserted into the slider;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view tion of the machine;

Fig. 12 is a section taken approximately in the plane of line 12-12 of Fig. 11, but including the lower end of the movable staple clencher which cooperates with the holder;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12 but showing the relationship of the staple clencher and the staple holdingdmeans in an advanced position of the staple clencher; an

Fig. 14 is a section taken approximately in the plane of line 1414 of Fig. 13.

The sequence of operations for applying slide fasteners to garment opening closures is generally illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3. A pair of slide fastener stringers 20 and 20' are sewn to inner and outer fly strips which, in turn, are sewn to the trouser halves. For the purpose of clarity in illustration, and because the invention primarily is concerned with the means for accomplishing the pullup and stapling operations, the fly strips and trouser halves are omitted from Figs. 1 to 3. Fig. 10, however, which shows how the stringers are inserted into the slider and pulled-up to connect the fastener elements, up and stapling operations, the fly strips and trouser halves, the same being indicated at 22, 22' and 24, 24', respectively. The slide fastener stringers may be of and comprise a tape 26 (Fig. 1) having a beaded edge 28 about which the interlockable fastener elements 30 are secured in spaced relation. The beaded edge 28 may be formed by sewing cords upon opposite edges of the tape 26, or the beaded edge may be formed in the process of weaving the tape, as is well-known in the art.

After the slide fastener stringers 20 and 20 have been secured to the trouser halves through the intermediate fly strips, the ends of the stringers are inserted into a slider 32 and pulled-up through the slider, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby meshing the fastener elements 30 beneath the slider. The interlock is temporary, for without a bottom stop the fastener can open beneath the slider. The slider may be of any well-known variety commonly used for trouser fasteners, such as a friction lock slider or a pin lock slider, and includes a lug 34 to which a pull 36 is secured to permit grasping thereof and movement of the slider along the fastener. After the two stringers (and the trouser halves) have been thus connected, a bottom stop 38 in the form of a staple is attached to the lower ends of the stringers 20 and 20, as shown in Fig. 3. The staple 38 serves to permanently fasten the stringers together and to limit the downward movement of the slider. The staple may be secured around a group of fastener elements near one end of the series, as shown in Fig. 3, or, if desired, the staple may be located of the staple holding porimmediately below the fastener elements. As shownin Fig. 4, the staple 38 may be provided with a single point or prong 40 at one end, and bifurcated at the other end to form two points or prongs 42 and 44. If desired, the

staple may be provided with different numbers and' arrangements of prongs. When the staple is attached to the end of the slide fastener, the prongs pass through the tapes and are bent or curled over so that the staple assumes a configuration substantially as shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now to Figs. 6 through 14 of the drawing, the apparatus comprises broadly a pull-up means located at P, an end stop attaching or stapler means E, and operating mechanism including an operating lever, preferably in the form of a foot treadle T, a restoring spring S, and linkage between the treadle, the spring, the pull-up means and the stapler means such that both the pull-up means and the stapler means are operated by the same treadle. Considered in slightly greater detail, the pull-up means preferably comprises relatively movable slider clamping jaws 172, 176, best shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In the form here shown the jaws clamp the depending pull of a slider arranged in inverted position, and so fix the slider in convenient position for pull-up. The end stop stapler E comprises a holder and a clencher which are relatively movable, and in the present case the holder is stationarily mounted on the base, as indicated at 46 (Fig. 6), while the clencher is movable toward and away from the holder, it being mounted at the forward end of an arm pivoted on the base. The arrangement is such that depression of the treadle actuates the clencher and releases the clamp, while release of the treadle causes the spring S to raise the clencher and close the clamp. From a slightly different viewpoint it may be said that the machine includes a spring pressed slider clamp P, and that the spring S of the slider clamp P is so advantageously disposed as to act also as a return spring for the foot treadle and the clencher. Thus when the treadle is depressed against the spring it functions to release the clamp, the clamp being closed when the clencher is up, and the clamp being released when the clencher is lowered even a little.

Considered in greater detail, the staple holding means 46, in combination with clencher 48, serve to secure the staple to the ends of the stringers. The clencher 48 preferably is carried by arms pivotally mounted for movement toward the holder 46. Means, preferably in the form of a bar 50, is provided for cooperation with the stapling means to clampingly engage the slider for the pull-up operation. The bar 50 may be immovably mounted, but preferably is movably mounted to afford better clamping engagement with the clencher 48. The clencher is so related to the bar that its upward or return movement is limited by the bar, which thus serves another function. The clencher 48 and its motion limiting means 50 also cooperate to clampingly engage a slider 32 therebetween (Figs. 8, 9, and to permit the ends of a pair of stringers to be inserted into the slider, as shown in Fig. 10. In this manner the same parts of the machine which provide the stapling function also serve as means for holding a slider for the slider-attaching or pull-up operation.

Referring now to Fig. 6, the machine comprises a base plate 52 having a vertically disposed standard 54. As shown in Fig. 7, the standard is bifurcated or formed with two spaced arms 56 and 58. The base plate 52 and the upright standard 54 may be conveniently and integrally formed as a single casting. The base plate 52 may be secured to the top of a work table 60 (Fig. 6) by means of screws 62 passing through apertures in the table, and nuts 64 on the ends of the screws below the table.

The staple holding means 46 is located at one end of and substantially centrally of the base plate 52. As shown in detail in Figs. 6, 11, 12 and 13, the staple holding means comprises a stationary anvil 66 substantially surrounded by a slidable housing 68. The anvil 66 is secured in an aperture 70 formed in the base plate 52, and is fixed in desired position by means of a set screw 72, as shown in Fig. 6. The anvil 66 is substantially rectangular in cross-section, its dimensions being the same or slightly greater than the dimensions of the flat intermediate portion of the staple 38.

The housing 68 (Figs. 11-14) preferably is formed of relatively heavy sheet metal contoured to closely but slidingly fit around the anvil 66. The housing is formed with a slot 74 extending vertically along its entire length on the rear side (facing the vertical standard 54). A compression spring 76 is disposed about the anvil 66, one end of the spring bearing against a washer 78 resting on the base plate 52, and the other end of the spring bearing against a washer 80 abutting the bottom of the housing 68, thereby exerting an upwardly directed pressure upon the housing. The resulting upward movement of the housing 68 is limited by a suitable stop, in this case a pin 82, passing through an aperture 84 in the anvil below the top horizontal surface 86. One end 88 of the round pin 82 is bent downwardly at a right angle and received within the slot 74 to prevent rotation of the pin within its aperture 84. The other end 90 of the pin is bent upwardly at a right angle and is received within a vertical slot 92 formed in the upper portion on the opposite side of the housing 68. The oppositely bent portions of the pin secure its connection to the anvil, and prevent its removal. The upward movement of the housing caused by the spring 76 is limited by the housing portion 94 at the base of the vertical slot 92 engaging the pin 82. In this position, as shown in Fig. 12, the distance from the horizontal or working face 86 of the anvil 66 to the top horizontal surface 96 of the housing is slightly greater than the height of the staple 38 (Figs. 4 and 12) prior to its attachment to the fastener. In the initial position of the machine for stapling, shown in Fig. 12, the vertically arranged pin portion 90 extends vertically above the horizontal surface 96 of the housing.

The housing 68 is provided with means for guiding and locating the interlocked fastener elements of a pair of stringers to which a staple is to be applied. Steps 98 (Figs. 11 and 12) are formed in the housing near the top thereof and immediately below the top surface 96. These steps form a shallow groove dimensioned to receive the interlocked fastener elements in snug engagement.

The clencher 48 is mounted for movement in an arcuate path towards the staple holding means 46. The clencher comprises a slender bar of rigid material, such as steel, having on its front face a vertical slot 91 (Figs. 9, 12 and 13) at least along the lower portion thereof. The clenching end 93 of the clencher (Figs. 12-14) is contoured to provide a pair of prong clinching portions and 95'. The top rear corner of the clencher preferably is bevelled at 97 (Figs. 8 and 9).

As shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the clencher 48 is suitably secured at 100, as by welding or brazing, to bridge the ends of a pair of arms 102 and 104. The arms 102 and 104 are fixed in parallel, spaced relationship and act as a single arm which pivots and swings about a pin 106. The pin 106 preferably is received within a sleeve 108 intermediate its ends, and secured in fixed relation thereto by means of a set screw 110, the sleeve being located between the vertical arms 56 and 58. The ends of the pin 106 are journalled in bearing openings 112 and 114 provided in the arms 56 and 58, respectively. The pin 106 is secured against longitudinal movement within its bearings by the provision of a headed portion 116 at one end, and a washer 118 held in place by a cotter pin 120 passing through the pivot pin at the other end. The spaced arms 102 and 104 are suitably secured at 122 to the sleeve 108, as by welding or brazing. In this manner, the clencher 48 at the end of arm 102, 104 is arranged to move in an are about the axis of pin 106.

In order to move the clencher 48 into cooperating engagement with the staple holding means 46 and thereby attach and clinch a staple to a fastener, a rod 124 acts as a link connected at one end to the arm 102, 104 and at the other end to a foot pedal or treadle 126. The foot pedal is mounted to pivot about a pin 128 mounted within a bracket 130 which is suitably secured to the floor.

The link 124 preferably in provided with a curved portion or hook 132 at its top end through which a pin 134 is received. The pin 134 is journalled in openings drilled through the arms 102 and 104, the hook portion 132 of the rod being located about the pin intermediate the spaced arms. The pin 134 is located approximately midway between pivot pin 106 and the driver 48, and below the longitudinal center line of the arms. The pin 134 is provided with a head on one end (not shown) and a washer 136 and cotter pin 138 at the other end on the outside of the arm 102 to prevent escape of the pin. The link 124 passes through an aperture 140 formed or drilled in the base plate 52 and has its lower end provided with a hook 142 secured to the foot pedal 126 by means of a pin 144. A washer 146 and a cotter pin 148 passing through the end of the pin 144 secure the connection of the link and foot pedal. The spring 150 is a relatively heavy compression spring disposed about the upper portion of the link 124. One end of the spring bears against a washer 152 located over the hearing plate aperture 140, and the other end of the spring abuts a washer 154 which bears against the underside of a collar 156 fixedly secured to the rod 124 by means of a set screw 158.

When pressure is applied to the foot pedal 126, the arm 102, 104 pivots about the pin 106, resulting in the clencher 48 moving downwardly toward the staple holding means 46, against the resisting force exerted by the compression spring 150. When pressure is released from the foot pedal, the spring 150 causes the arm with the clencher to move or swing back and away from the staple holding means. This upward arcuate movement of the clencher is limited by the presence of the bar 50.

The bar 50 is provided at one end with a circular aperture through which a pin 160 extends (Fig. 6), the ends of the pin being journalled in bearing openings 162 and 164 provided in the vertical standard arms 56 and 58, respectively. The pin 160 is prevented from escaping by providing a headed portion 166 at one end and a washer 168 over the other end of the pin, and a cotter pin 170 passing therethrough. The bar 50 is located midway along the pivot pin 160, and so lies between the spaced, parallel arms 102 and 104. As shown in Fig. 7, the bar 50 is slightly spaced from the inner sides of the arms 102 and 104, so that there will be no friction between the adjacent surfaces. The bar 50 rests on top of the hook portion 132 of the rod 124 which, as previously explained, is located intermediate the arms 102 and 104. The free end of the bar 50, designated 172, is free to move down about the pivot 160 with the movement of the arm 102, 104 when pressure is applied to the foot pedal, and up on the spring return of the rod. The upper corner of the bar 50 is bevelled at 174.

It will be observed that the pivot pin 160 for the bar 50 is located above the pivot pin 106 for the driver arm 102, 104, thereby causing the bar and the arm to move about arcs having differently located centers. The bar and the arm are so relatively dimensioned in length that the two arcs which they describe about their respective pivots 160 and 106 will intersect, and so cause the vertical clamp jaw 172 of the bar 50 to abut and press against the rear vertical surface as the other clamp jaw 176, when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6. The engagement of the surface 176 with the surface 172 prevents further upward movement of the clencher arm 102, 104, despite the force exerted by the spring 150. The bar 50 thus functions to limit the upward or return movement of the clencher.

Because the spacing between the centers is quite small compared to the lengths of the bar and arm, the arcs intersect at a very small or acute angle. This gives them a wedging action with consequent magnified clamping pressure, so that the restoring pressure of the compression spring 150 is greatly multiplied as applied to the pull of the slider.

When pressure is exerted upon the foot pedal 126, the arm 102, 104 moves downwardly, thereby causing the clamp face 176 to move away from the clamp face 172. The weight of the bar 50 causes it to remain in contact with the hooked portion 132 of the rod, that is, it follows the arm downward. However, since the arm moves on an are different from the are described by the bar, the clamp face 176 moves laterally away from the clamp face 172 to create a space therebetween, designated 178 in Fig. 8. When the pressure upon the foot pedal is released, the arm 102, 104 springs back, until stopped by the engagement of the surfaces 172 and 176.

The described machine operates in the following manner. Sufficient pressure is exerted upon the foot pedal 126 to lower it part way, thereby providing the jaw spacing 178 shown in Fig. 8. The pull 36 of a slider 32 is placed within this opening between the two members, and the foot pedal is released. This results in the jaw surfaces 172 and 176 clamping the pull therebetween with substantial pressure, transmitted from the relatively heavy compression spring 150. The bevelled portions 97 and 174 serve to accommodate the contour of the lug 34 of the slider. The slider is firmly held in this posi' tion, thus facilitating the insertion of the stringers and 20' (with the fly strips and trouser halves as in Fig. 10) into the channel of the slider. After the stringers have been pulled-up through the slider, as shown in of the clencher 48 acting Fig. 2, pressure is again placed upon the foot pedal 126, thereby releasing the clamping pressure upon the slider, and permitting the pulled-up stringers with the added slider to be shifted from the upper to the lower part of the machine.

A staple 38 in the form shown in Fig. 4 is placed on the anvil 66, as shown in Fig. 12. The interlocked fastener elements at the lower end of the fastener below the slider (see Fig. 2), are placed in the groove 98 of the housing 68, where they are over the staple. The upright portion of the bent pin 82 serves as a locating stop for the endmost fastener element and properly locates the stringers preparatory to attaching the staple. Pressure is applied to the foot pedal 12:6, and this time sufiicient pressure is applied to cause the lower end 93 of the clencher to bear against the stringer tapes 26 resting on the top face of the housing 68. The clencher continues downward, causing the staple prongs 40, 42 and 44 to pierce the tape. As the clencher continues downward, the prongs engage the curved clenching surfaces and 95, causing the prongs to be bent inward and finally clinched about the endmost fastener elements 30, as shown in Fig. 14.

When the clencher 48 engages the housing 68 and both move downward as described, the upright pin portion 90 bypasses the working end of the clencher and is received within the slot 91. The clencher depresses the housing against the compression spring 76, as shown in Fig. 13. In this manner, the bottom face 93 of the clencher is permitted to cooperate with the top face 34 of the anvil to drive the staple through the tapes and to tightly clinch same. When the pressure upon the foot pedal is released, the clencher springs back because of the restoring spring 150, until halted by the engagement of clamp face 176 with clamp face 172. As soon as the pressure of the clencher upon the housing 68 is released, the spring 76 causes the housing to rise to its initial position shown in Fig. 12. It will be apparent that while the stapling movement of the clencher has been interruptedly described through the various stages of the stapling operation, actually the clencher continues through its downward motion in one continuous stroke.

The advantages of the assembling machine of the present invention will in the main be fully apparent from the above detailed description thereof. Simple and inexpensive means is provided for securing a staple to a pair of slide fastener stringers, thereby affording the requisite bottom stop for a slide fastener used to provide a closure for a garment opening. The elements of the assembly machine are so arranged that not only is the stapling function simply and satisfactorily accomplished, but the same elements also provide simple and effective clamp for holding the slider for the pull-up operation. In this manner, the usual additional and separate slider jig or fixture is eliminated, with the attendant saving in cost, and a single operator performs both operations at one station, thus saving transfer of the product from one operator to another at two different stations.

While we have shown and described a preferred form of our invention,

it will be apparent that many changes may be made in the structure thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as sought to be defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. A combined pull-up fixture and end stop stapler for slide fasteners of the type comprising a. pair of stringers having interlockable fastener elements engaged and disengaged by a slider, the pull-up portion of said machine comprising relatively movable jaws to clamp a slider in convenient position for pull-up of said stringers, the stapler portion of said machine comprising a relatively movable anvil and clencher, and operating mechanism including a single treadle, a single restoring spring, and linkage between said treadle, spring, clamp and clencher, whereby depression of the treadle releases the clamp and actuates the clencher, while release of the treadle causes the spring to raise the clencher and close the clamp.

2. In a stapling machine for slide fasteners of the type comprising a pair of stringers having interlockable fastener elements engaged and disengaged by a slider, a stationary anvil, a housing substantially surrounding said anvil and resiliently mounted for up and down movement with respect to the anvil, the housing when in up position with the top of the housing above the top of the anvil cooperating with the anvil to hold and position a staple on the anvil, and a pin connected to said anvil and having a part which limits the upward movement of said housing with respect to the anvil, said pm also having a part which provides a stop or locatingpin for locating a pair of stringers to which the staple is to be secured.

3. In a stapling machine for slide fasteners of the type comprising a pair of stringers having interlockable fastener elements engaged and disengaged by a slider, a stationary anvil, a housing substantially surrounding said anvil and resiliently mounted for up and down movement with respect to the anvil, the housing When in up position with the top of the housing above the top of the anvil cooperating with the anvil to hold and position a staple on the anvil, and a pin connected to said anvil, said pin being provided with a right angled bend so that one end thereof extends in a vertical direction, a horizontal portion of the pin limiting the upward movement of said housing with respect to the anvil caused by the resilient mounting, and the vertical portion providing a stop or locating pin for locating a pair of stringers to which the staple is to be secured.

4. In a stapling machine for slide fasteners of the type comprising a pair of stringers having interlockable fastener elements engaged and disengaged by a slider, a stationary anvil, a housing substantially surrounding said anvil and resiliently mounted for up and down movement with respect to the anvil, the top of the housing normally extending above the working top surface of the anvil to hold and position a staple on the anvil, said housing being provided with a vertical slot in the upper portion thereof, and a pin connected to said anvil, said pin being provided with a right angled bend so that one end thereof extends in a vertical direction and is received within the housing slot, said vertical portion of the pin extending above the top of the housing to provide a stop or locating pin for locating a pair of stringers to which the staple is to be secured, said bent portion of the pin also having a horizontal portion which limits the upward movement of the housing with respect to the anvil caused by the resilient mounting.

5. In a stapling machine for slide fasteners of the type comprising a pair of stringers having interlockable fastener elements engaged and disengaged by a slider, a stationary anvil, a housing substantially surrounding said anvil and resiliently mounted for up and down movement with respect to the anvil, the top of the housing normally extending above the working top surface of the anvil to hold and position a staple on the anvil, said housing being provided with a vertical slot in the upper portion thereof, means provided near the top of the housing for receiving and locating the interlocked fastener elements of a pair of stringers, and a pin connected to said anvil, said pin being provided with a right angled bend so that one end thereof extends in a vertical direction and is received within the housing slot, said vertical portion of the pin extending above the top of the housing to provide a stop or locating pin for locating a pair of stringers to which the staple is to be secured, said bent portion of the pin also having a horizontal portion which limits the upward movement of the housing with respect to the anvil caused by the resilient mounting.

6. A stapling machine for slide fasteners of the type comprising a pair of stringers having interlockable fastener elements engaged and disengaged by a slider, said machine comprising a movable staple clencher, a vertical slot formed on the face of the clencher, a stationary anvil, a housing substantially surrounding said anvil and resiliently mounted for up and down movement with respect to the anvil, the top of the housing normally extending above the working top surface of the anvil to hold and position a staple on the anvil, said housing being prvided with a vertical slot in the upper portion thereof, and a pin connected to said anvil, said pin being provided with a right angled bend so that one end thereof extends in a vertical direction and is received within the housing slot, said vertical portion of the pin extending above the top of the housing to provide a stop or locating pin for locating a pair of stringers to which the staple is to be secured, said vertical portion of the pin being received within the clencher slot when clencher is moved to staple securing position, said bent portion of the pin also having a horizontal portion which limits the relative movement of the housing upward with respect to the anvil caused by the resilient mounting.

7. A combined pull-up fixture and end stop stapler for slide fasteners of the type comprising a pair of stringers having interlockable fastener elements engaged and disengaged by a slider, the pull-up portion of said machine comprising relatively movable generally upright jaws to clamp the dependent pull of an inverted slider with the slider thereby held in convenient position for pull-up of said stringers, the stapler portion of said machine comprising a relatively movable anvil and clencher, and operating mechanisms including a single treadle, a single restoring spring, and linkage between said treadle, spring, clamp and clencher, whereby depression of the treadle releases the clamp and actuates the clencher downward for cooperation with the anvil, while release of the treadle causes the spring to raise the clencher away from the anvil and close the clamp.

8. A combined pull-up fixture and end stop stapler for slide fasteners of the type comprising a pair of stringers having interlockable fastener elements engaged and disengaged by a slider, the pull-up portion of said machine comprising relatively movable jaws to clamp a slider in convenient position for pull-up of said stringers, the stapler portion of said machine comprising a relatively movable anvil and clencher, a stationary base carrying said anvil at its forward end, a clencher arm overlying said base, said arm being pivoted at its rear end on the base, and carrying the clencher at its forward end, a collateral arm pivoted at a point offset from the pivot of the clencher arm, the aforesaid clamp jaws being formed at the forward ends of said arms, and operating mechanism including a single treadle, a single restoring spring, and linkage between said treadle, spring, and clencher arm, whereby depression of the treadle releases the clamp and actuates the clencher, while release of the treadle causes the spring to raise the clencher and close the clamp.

9. A machine for use by an operator in pull-up and stapling of slide fasteners of the type comprising a pair of stringers having interlockable fastener elements engaged and disengaged by a slider, said machine comprising staple holding means, a staple clencher pivotally mounted for movement toward the staple holding means and cooperating therewith to secure a staple to a pair of slide fastener stringers, resilient means for return movement of the clencher, and a bar pivotally mounted at one end, the pivot of said bar being offset from the pivot of said clencher, the free end of the bar being engageable by the clencher under pressure of the resilient means to limit the return movement of the clencher, the parts of said bar and said clencher which engage being so shaped that they may be used to clamp a slider in a convenient position to permit the use of both hands of an operator to pull up a pair of stringers through a slider clamped between the free end of the bar and the clencher.

10. A machine for use by an operator in pull-up and stapling of slide fasteners of the type comprising a pair of stringers having interlockable fastener elements engaged and disengaged by a slider, said machine comprising staple holding means, a pair of spaced, parallel arms, a staple clencher secured to said arms at one end thereof, said arms being pivotally mounted at their other end for movement of the staple clencher toward the staple holding means, spring means acting upon said arms for return movement, a bar pivotally mounted at one end on an axis offset from the axis of movement of said arms and clencher, said bar being disposed intermediate said spaced arms with its free end engageable by the clencher to limit the return movement of the clencher, the parts of said bar and said clencher which engage being so shaped that they may be used to clamp the downturned pull of an inverted slider in order to permit the use of both hands of an operator to pull up a pair of stringers through a slider clamped between the free end of the bar and the clencher.

11.. A machine for use by an operator in pull-up and stapling of slide fasteners of the type comprising a pair of stringers having interlockable fastener elements engaged and disengaged by a slider, said machine comprising staple holding means, a pair of spaced, parallel arms, a staple clencher secured to said arms at one end thereof, said arms being pivotally mounted at their other end for movement of the staple clencher toward the staple holding means, a foot pedal, a link connected at one end to the pedal and at its other end to a pin intermediate said spaced parallel arms, spring means asso-' ciated with said link for return movement, a bar pivotally mounted at one end on an axis above the axis of movement of said arms and clencher, said bar being disposed intermediate said spaced arms .with its free end engageable by the clencher to limit the return movement of the clencher, said bar resting upon said pin at a point intermediate the length of the bar, the application of pressure to the foot pedal serving both to move the staple clencher toward the staple holding means and to create a space between the free end of the bar and the clencher, the parts defining said space being so shaped that a part of a slider may be resiliently clamped therebetween upon release of pressure on said foot pedal to hold the same during a pull-up operation on the stringers.

12. A machine for use by an operator in pull-up and stapling of slide fasteners of the type comprising a pair of stringers having interlockable fastener elements engaged and disengaged by a slider having a pull, said machine comprising staple holding means, a staple clencher pivotally mounted for movement toward the I staple holding means and cooperating therewith to secure a staple to a pair of slide fastener stringers, and having a return movement away from the staple holding means, and means having a part for bearing against and coacting with a part of said clencher to limit the return movement of the clencher about the pivotal mounting, said parts being suitably dimensioned and shaped to adapt them also to clampingly engage and fixedly hold the downturned pull for an inverted slider placed between them when the clencher is away from the holding means in order to permit the use of both hands of an operator to pull-up a pair of stringers through said fixedly held slider.

13. A machine for use by an operator in pull-up and stapling of slide fasteners of the type comprising a pair of stringers having interlockable fastener elements engaged and disengaged by a slider, said machine comprising staple holding means, a staple clencher pivotally mounted for movement toward the staple holding means and cooperating therewith to secure a staple to a pair of slide fastener stringers, and having a return movement away from the staple holding means, and means movable with respect to said clencher and having a part engageable in face-to-face contact with a part of the clencher to limit the return movement thereof, said parts being suitably dimensioned and shaped to adapt them also to clampingly engage and fixedly hold a slider placed between them when the clencher is away from the holding means in order to permit the use of both hands of an operator to pull-up a pair of stringers through said fixedly held slider.

14. A combined pull-up fixture and end-stop stapler apparatus for slide fasteners of the type comprising a pair of stringers having interlockable fastener elements engaged and disengaged by a slider, said apparatus comprising an anvil, a staple clencher movable toward and away from the anvil, a slider clamp for holding a slider during a pull-up operation, a foot treadle to operate the clencher, and a single spring connected to and acting simultaneously on both the slider clamp and the foot treadle, the direction of said spring being such that it acts as a return spring for the foot treadle and clencher and as a closing spring for the slider clamp, whereby the foot treadle when depressed works against the spring and thereby functions not only to operate the clencher but also to release the slider clamp.

15. A combined pull-up fixture and end-stop stapler apparatus for slide fasteners of the type comprising a pair of stringers having interlockable fastener elements engaged and disengaged by a slider, said apparatus comprising a base carrying an anvil and a generally horizontal stapling arm with a generally upright staple clencher movable downward toward and upward away from the anvil, a slider clamp for holding a slider during a pull-up operation, a foot treadle to pull the clencher downward against the anvil, and a single spring connected to and acting simultaneously on both the slider clamp and the foot treadle, the direction of said spring being such that it acts as a return spring for the foot treadle and clencher and as a closing spring for the slider clamp, whereby the foot treadle when depressed works against the spring and thereby functions not only to operate the clencher but also to release the slider clamp, the resulting arrangement being such that the clamp is closed when the clencher is up and the clamp is released when the clencher is down.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 114,651 Dick May 9, 1871 195,603 Heyl Sept. 25, 1877 200,774 Somers Feb. 26, 1878 220,932 McGill Oct. 28, 1879 308,994 Rose Dec. 9, 1884 593,649 Goodrich Nov. 16, 1897 2,143,427 Abbate Jan. 10, 1939 2,438,713 Maynard Mar. 30, 1948 2,472,469 Didato June 7, 1949 

